One cannot deceive one's own heart.
Those words made Raiden Ei's hand tremble slightly on her sword hilt.
"Shadow, your feelings for Xi? I've seen them clear as day."
Yae Miko crossed her arms, a smug little smile on her face.
But Raiden Ei read it as flirtatious mockery, a wave of intense shame making even her pinky finger tingle.
"I... I don't... I just... want to eat..."
"Eat the tri-colored dango he makes himself? Read the novels he writes?"
Yae Miko picked up the thread, her tone even more teasing.
She giggled, looking as if she'd seen through everything. "As head priestess, I know one thing clearly."
"People always believe what they want to believe. So some things... you might just be unwilling to see."
Raiden Ei grew even more irritated at this—being outmaneuvered by Yae Miko always left her fuming!
But she had no way to retort.
As the Raiden Shogun of Inazuma, one of the Seven Archons of the world, she had actually drawn her blade in a fit of uncontrolled rage before Miko even finished speaking.
She'd clearly been rattled!
How could she explain that away?
"Hmph!"
"A glutton who was tempted by fried tofu—what could you possibly see?"
"So, you and Xi... are really together?"
Raiden Ei took several deep breaths, but when she finally asked, her hands still clenched involuntarily.
Yae Miko's heart bloomed with delight.
Her greatest pleasure was keeping people on tenterhooks, toying with them in the palm of her hand.
She didn't even spare her closest friend.
Now, she was a bit curious.
What would Raiden Ei's reaction be if she learned Ye Xi planned to leave Inazuma?
So, she said casually, "Xi says he plans to leave Inazuma."
"What!? No!"
Shadow blurted it out again, this time without any restraint, declaring firmly, "He can't leave Inazuma. He can't go anywhere! That's my command!"
"What good is your command? If Xi really wants to go, none of us can stop him—you know that full well."
Yae Miko waved her hand helplessly, looking at her friend. "So it all depends on how you play it. Just cling to him, that's all."
"Why is he leaving? Where's he going?"
At Raiden Ei's question, Miko replied, "At first, he said it was for novel research material, but deep down, it's because of that matter."
At this, Raiden Ei understood immediately.
She had long since learned about the things Ye Xi obsessed over—through eavesdropping on his thoughts.
Yes, she could hear Ye Xi's inner voice too.
The first time she met him, she'd heard strange voices.
As one of the Seven Archons of the world, she instantly grasped the situation.
Later, she heard many of Ye Xi's evaluations of her, including his appreciation for her attire, which led her to allow him to stay in Inazuma.
Through their subsequent interactions, she'd learned even more from him.
Like the fact that this world was fictional.
It had been hard to accept at first, but she pursued eternity.
What happened outside had nothing to do with Inazuma?
Until now, she knew just as much as Yae Miko did.
She was also aware of the matter regarding the protagonist siblings' arrival in this world.
Upon hearing that Ye Xi had left because of this, her expression grew somewhat grave.
At this moment, Yae Miko set aside her teasing demeanor and spoke with utmost seriousness: "Ei, for now, it seems that only the two of us can hear Ye Xi's inner voice. But we can't rule out the possibility that others might also discover his secrets—especially women."
"You should know that in Liyue and Mondstadt, there are still many people Ye Xi cares about. If he leaves Inazuma, he might never return."
Back then, she had wondered if she was the only one who could hear Ye Xi's thoughts.
So, she deliberately brought a few shrine maidens to interact with him and asked if they could hear any strange voices.
But the shrine maidens heard nothing.
Then, when she brought Ye Xi before Raiden Ei, she noticed that the usually stoic Ei had shown a flicker of unease and panic at the time.
That's when she realized that Raiden Ei could also peer into Ye Xi's inner voice.
After Ye Xi left, she immediately discussed the matter with Ei.
Now, Raiden Ei had made her own decision. She suddenly let out a cold laugh: "So, you haven't ended up with Ye Xi."
"That makes sense. Why would Ye Xi ever like a mere stinky fox?"
"No one would fall for a fox unless their head was addled."
"Hmph."
This time, Yae Miko's fur bristled in fury!
She hadn't expected Raiden Ei to turn the tables and mock her at a moment like this!
She'd been one-upped!
Forcing herself not to lose her composure, Yae Miko feigned nonchalance.
But the straight-up tail swaying behind her didn't escape Raiden Ei's sharp eyes.
No matter how composed her face might appear, that tail was brutally honest.
Raiden Ei sneered disdainfully: "Your tail's showing, Miko."
"Alright, I've already figured out a way to keep Ye Xi here."
"See you later."
The space rippled like water, and by the time Yae Miko reacted, she had been ejected from the Small World. Enraged, she couldn't help but stomp her foot.
"How did my tail just slip out like that! Damn it!"
She hadn't anticipated falling at a disadvantage like this, leaving Yae Miko inwardly displeased. Just then, a furious shout rang out from outside: "Who's there! Who is it!"
The Okiku Guards, her personal attendants at the door, had finally sensed something amiss.
"Assassin!"
"Protect the Shogun!"
"We will guard the General with our lives!"
Yae Miko furrowed her brows, channeling her youjutsu to vanish from the room.
Day turned to night, and night gave way to day once more.
In the early morning, dew dripped from the tips of green leaves, and sunlight bathed the lands of Inazuma anew.
After the previous night's disturbance, the Three Commissions had finally managed to calm the citizens of the city.
The flames in the sky were explained away as the palace minister's sorcery, which soothed the people's fears.
Mount Yougou, Grand Narukami Shrine.
A pink figure slipped into the Small World within the Sacred Sakura Tree, her movements deft and practiced.
At this time, Ye Xi was still fast asleep, with sunlight filtering through the window lattice and falling upon the bed.
On the white bedsheets, the shadow of fox ears appeared.
Soon after, Ye Xi felt a gentle shaking.
"Repeat after me: 'Three, two, one; one, two, three, ahh—' Hurry up."
A soft, seductive voice echoed in his ears, and Ye Xi's consciousness gradually cleared. Then, he saw Yae Miko standing at his bedside, playfully rocking him back and forth.
What had blinded my eyes?
Oh, it's that crappy fox!